A cool $6.4m investment into climate change research

Scientists are giving Aussie horticulture growers in cooler climates the opportunity to participate in an AU$6.4m research trial program to help the industry adapt to climate change.

The five-year project is being delivered through Hort Innovation and aims to grow cool climate horticulture production by 20%. It is being lead and co-funded by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) with support from national and international industry partners.

Trial sites are being set up in Tasmania, and the research team will design experiments to be relevant across cool climate regions such as south-west Western Australia, the Adelaide Hills, South-East Victoria and high-altitude areas of New South Wales and South-East Queensland.

Chief Executive Officer Brett Fifield said that the aim is to investigate what operational adjustments need to be made to farms in various regions, to achieve maximum productivity in the face of unpredictable weather patterns.

“This project is all about getting growers the best possible production outcomes,” he said.

“Researchers will look at fragile soil management, nutrient and water use. High-yield plants that can be picked early to maximise returns, and establishing protected cropping environments that offer stable, pest and disease-controlled growing environments are further priorities.”

The program will span various sectors, including peas, potato, pyrethrum, vegetable seed, cherry and berry production. Co-investing industry partners are Bejo, Potatoes NZ, Simplot, Premium Fresh, Scottish Society for Crop Research, Botanical Resources Australia, Reid Fruits, Hansen Orchards, Costa Group, Driscoll’s Australia, South Pacific Seeds, and Fruit Growers Tasmania, with contributions from the Australian Government.

TIA Horticulture Centre Leader Dr Nigel Swarts said primary producers across the horticultural sector are partnering to address the critical issues and risks associated with climatic variability and extremes in temperature and rainfall.

“With climate change, we can expect heat stress causing irregular yields for peas and potatoes. For fruit crops like cherries, there is the threat of premature ripening and projected increases in pest populations. Nutritional quality in terms of sugars, acids, or antioxidant capacity will also shift, impacting fruit quality outcomes,” he said.

Trial sites will be accessible to growers through industry field demonstration days and workshops, and all project findings will be made available through resources such as fact sheets, webinars and case studies.

Growers in cool climate regions are encouraged to get involved by contacting Dr Nigel Swarts at TIA.

Image caption: Lead researcher Dr Nigel Swarts with Bejo Seeds rep Ashlea Schott.